FBLA teaches local students leadership skills

WAUSA – Members of the Wausa FBLA Chapter are in the business of preparing for their futures after high school.

Dawn Friedrich, the adviser for Wausa FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America), said the organization helps high school students prepare for careers, primarily in business, through academic competitions, leadership development and educational programs.

“Students should join FBLA because of the following: professionalism, time management, leadership skills, presentation skills, public speaking, teamwork,” Friedrich said.

She shared the benefits of FBLA as listed by the organization’s handbook:

-Career preparation opportunities.

-Leadership development.

-Networking with business and community leaders.

-Community service experience.

-Leadership conferences.

-Challenging competitions.

-Individual, team and chapter recognition.

-Scholarships and awards.

-Travel opportunities.

-Friendships.

Friedrich said her students benefit the most from the career preparation opportunities, leadership development through state and national conferences, challenging competitions at the state and national level, and travel opportunities.

Senior Tyler Baue, Wausa FBLA’s president, joined FBLA because he saw the variety of activities the chapter offered when he was in junior high.

“I saw how fun it could be,” he said. “After having been a member, I decided to run for an office. I became an officer and am now able to show my skillset and use these skills on a daily basis.”

Senior Emily Kleinschmit serves as Wausa FBLA’s parliamentarian.

“I’ve always wanted to be in FBLA because I always saw how my older friends enjoyed the activities,” she said. “I also wanted to become an officer so I could help lead the chapter like my friends did for me.”

Wausa FBLA members take part in several activities during the school year:

-Helping out the American Heart Association by bringing awareness to heart health, as chapter members did on Tuesday, Feb. 8.

-Helping out the LifeServe Blood Center by hosting blood drives at the school.

-Working with the Wausa Community Club by providing a food stand during the community’s annual Labor Day Celebration.

-Helping set up tables and clean up for the Northeast Nebraska Whitetails Unlimited Chapter’s annual banquet.

-Helping elementary students write Santa Claus letters.

-Helping to raise funds for March of Dimes.

-Inviting guest speakers to share their experiences as small business owners.

-Hosting mock interviews during which students can practice their interviewing skills, with businesspeople acting as interviewers.

-Holding fundraisers during halftimes of football and basketball games.

-Promoting American Enterprise Day on Nov. 15 each year.

-Holding a canned food drive.

-Hosting a Pink Out in support of breast cancer research.

-Setting up business tours.

-Participating in the annual Nebraska FBLA State Leadership Conference and, if students qualify, the FBLA National Leadership Conference as well.

Friedrich started Wausa FBLA in 2000. Prior to that, there had been no chapter of the organization at Wausa Public Schools.

For the 2021-22 school year, Wausa FBLA has 63 members, made up of 15 seniors, 16 juniors, 17 sophomores and 15 freshmen.

“What’s most unique about Wausa FBLA is the chapter averages over 75 percent of the student body as members per year,” she said.

Over the years, Wausa FBLA has received first or second place in the Chapter Market Share Membership Award category – which is for the largest percentage of a school’s student body in a chapter – at the state, regional and national levels.

“We have been the largest Class D chapter several times on the state level as well,” Friedrich said.

Since 2001, several Wausa FBLA students have attended the State Leadership Conference.

“There have been numerous student awards at this conference in a variety of events, ranging from tests – accounting, personal finance, business calculations – and team presentations – business presentation, social media strategies, graphic design, publication design, public service announcement, digital video production, broadcast journalism, sales presentation, e-business, business financial plan, client service, electronic career portfolio, public speaking,” Friedrich said.

At the National Leadership Conference, nine events have placed in the top 10 for Wausa FBLA across the following categories: accounting, desktop publishing twice, business presentation twice, sales presentation, social media campaign, graphic design and publication design.

The State Leadership Conference is set for April 11-13 in Kearney. This year’s National Leadership Conference is in Chicago.

Students need to place in the top three in their events at state in order to qualify for the national conference.

This school year marks the last one in which she will be Wausa FBLA’s adviser – as well as business education teacher, National Honor Society adviser and assistant volleyball coach – because she is planning to retire.

During her career in education, Friedrich served for six years on the Nebraska FBLA Board of Directors and was named the Nebraska Outstanding Chapter Adviser during the 2016 National Leadership Conference.

“Retirement brings several emotions,” Friedrich said. “FBLA has been a part of my life for the past 22 years. It’s hard to think of me not being the adviser.

“There are so many memories,” she said. “All I have to do is look at the pictures on the walls in my classroom or think of all the different activities we have done to be reminded of all the great times and student accomplishments throughout the years.”

When she is not in school, she runs into many of her past students and loves being able to share stories and memories with them.

“The last couple of years have been hard because of COVID,” Friedrich said. “State and national conferences were either canceled or done virtually.

“My heart breaks for those students who were not able to experience the travel opportunities and excitement of being able to compete in all of their events,” she said.

What she will miss most when she is retired from her 35-year teaching career – including 24 at Wausa – is not seeing and working with students on a daily basis anymore.

“My identity will change, and I will no longer be the FBLA adviser for the future,” Friedrich said. “But I will forever have a connection to all the students I’ve crossed paths with in the past. And to them, they will always be my students and I will be their teacher and FBLA adviser forever.”

NATIONAL FBLA WEEK ACTIVITIES

The Wausa FBLA Chapter will celebrate National FBLA Week 2022 from Feb. 13-19 with the following weekday activities:

-Monday, Feb. 14: Valentine’s Day activities at school and Adviser Appreciation Day, during which there will be a heart scavenger hunt, Red/White/Pink Out Day and heart game.

-Tuesday, Feb. 15: Share Your Story Day.

-Wednesday, Feb. 16: Obstacle course, which will be a social activity for teamwork.

-Thursday, Feb. 17: Business Professional Day, during which all Wausa FBLA members will dress in professional dress clothes, and there will be a group picture.

-Friday, Feb. 18: FBLA Spirit Day, during which all chapter members are to wear their FBLA shirts and/or FBLA colors.